Children’s Literature
Term 1
T, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Queer sexuality, representations of gender, First Nations’ history, war in Afghanistan, the Holocaust – these are some of the political and social issues explored in the texts written for children selected for this course. In discussions and written assignments, students will be asked to consider social/historical factors influencing the production and reception of children’s literature, as well as its ideological role in promoting social change. Texts studied will include Folk & Fairy Tales, The Hunger Games, I Am David, Number the Stars, The Breadwinner Trilogy, A Coyote Columbus Story, Two Weeks with the Queen, When Everything Feels Like the Movies and Skim (most of which are contemporary), and cover a range of genres: traditional fairy tales, fantasy, social realism and a graphic novel. As well as focusing on the core texts, we will engage with theoretical perspectives on the genre and its increasingly fluid contemporary incarnations. Students will be encouraged to develop independent critical responses to both texts and theories. Assessment will include a critical response, an in-class essay, a term paper and a final examination.
